William



(No Model.)

W. G.'.HOMAN.

WIGK ADJUSTING DEVICE. No. 471,083. Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. I-IOMAN, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE EDWARD MILLER & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,083, dated March 15, 1892.

Application filed October 16, 1891. Serial No.408,961. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HOMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, New Haven county, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in WVick-AdjustingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of wickadjusting devices used in Argand lamps in which the wick is secured to a vertically-adjustable sleeve and is intended to facilitate the securing of the wick to the sleeve.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in elevation an Argand lamp embodying myinvention, partly broken away to show the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 in perspective shows a wick sleeve and clamp detached from the lamp. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the tube B, midway of its length.

The same letters refer to like parts in the several views.

Adesignatesalamp-fount; B,aninner wicktube; 1), a groove in the tube B; C, a wick; D,

a Wick-sleeve; cl, an ear on the sleeve D; E, a

wick-clamp consisting of toothed portion 6, arms 6', and lug c"; F, a rivet; G, a spring; H, a draw-bar.

In the example of my invention illustrated the lamp-fount A may be of any desired form. It is provided with an inner wick-tube B, which is formed with two longitudinal grooves or indentations 1'), preferably extending from near the lower end of the tube to about the top of the fount A. The wick-sleeve D is of an interior diameter slightly greater than the exterior diameter of the tube B, and so as to move freely thereon. Itis slotted on opposite sides and portions of the slotted metal are turned outward to form ears (1. The clamp E, as shown, is in the form of a hollow triangle and is provided at its upper side 6 with teeth adapted to engage the wick C. The arms 6 connect the upper side 6 with the body, which is formed with an inwardly-projecting lug e". The clamp E is secured between the ears d of the wick-sleeve D by means of the rod or rivet F, on which the clamp is capable of limited rotation, the lug 6" playing through the slot in the sleeve D. The draw-bar H is here shown as bifurcate and attached at its inner end by means of an offset to the wick-sleeve D.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is necessary to introduce the wick C, the wick-sleeve D and attached clamps E are raised to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. When theinterior lugs e strike against the shoulder formed by the upper ends of the grooves 11 and ride onto the cylindric portion of the tube B, the upper ends of the clamps E are thrown radially outward from the tube B. The wick C, previously slotted at opposite sides to permit its lower end to pass the ears d, may then be slipped over the tube B and sleeve D to a proper distance. The sleeve D being then lowered by means of the draw-bar H, the lugs e" are freed from engagement with the cylindric portion of the tube B and permitted to drop into the groove b. The spring G, secured at one end to the sleeve D, the free end of which bears against the clamp E, then acts to force the upper toothed portion 6 of the clamp into engagement with the Wick C, thereby holding it securely to the sleeve D.

It is evident that no particular form of clamp or draw-bar is essential to my invention; that one, three, or more clamps may be used as desired; that the spring Cr may be given a differentform,andthatothermechanicalchanges may be made without departing from my invention.

In a patent granted to me May 20, 1890, No. 428,170, was shown a wick-clamp similar in function to that herein shown and described. My present device, however, differs from my former one in having a longitudinal groove or grooves in the wick-tube and a'lug adapted to move freely in said groove and to be deflected by the shoulder at the upper end of said groove, as described. This lug is much less liable to be bent or broken ofi than the eXteriorly-projecting lug 6' shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8 of my former patent.

I do not wish to'be understood as claiming herein anything described or claimed in said patent No. 428,170.

What I claim as my present invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is as follows:

1. In a wick-adjusting device, the combination of an inner wick-tube, a longitudinal groove in said tube, a wick-sleeve vertically adapted to engage with the outer side of the Wick, a spring adapted to force said teeth against said wick, and a lug on said clamp, adapted to move Within said groove and to strike against the shoulder formed by the upper end of said groove, substantially as described.

WVILLIAM C. IlOMAN.

Witnesses:

Gno. L. COOPER, GEO. M. CHITTENDEN. 

